JPH0965086A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To increase the printing speed of a recording device when forming the same image on a plurality of recording materials. In a recording device having a plurality of different recording means, at least one of which is capable of directly recording on a recording material, in a recording apparatus, image information of the recording material recorded by the first recording means is recorded. Recording is performed by the recording unit as a document of another recording unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a plurality of recording means of different image forming systems. More specifically, the image information of the recording material recorded by the first recording means is used as an original for other recording means. The present invention relates to a recording device that records by other recording means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, copying machines have been widely used as useful office machines, but they are roughly classified into digital copying machines and analog copying machines. The structure of the digital copying machine is
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-21182b as prior art, a fixed scanning element,
An electric system including a laser scanner and an image processing unit is provided, and analog information such as a document image sent from an optical system including an illumination lamp and a mirror provided in the apparatus is converted into the electric signal to perform arithmetic processing. In addition, the electric signal can be converted into an exposure image. Then, the exposed image forms an image on a photoconductor provided in the main body of the apparatus, and the image is transferred to a transfer material member to form an image in a digital copying machine. Further, the digital copying machine has a capability of transmitting the electric signal to the outside or receiving the electric signal from the outside and also capable of storing the electric signal in the memory unit of the image processing unit. In addition, an analog copying machine forms an image directly on a photoconductor as an exposure image by using analog information such as an original image sent from an optical system including an illumination lamp and a mirror in the apparatus, and the image is transferred. The image is formed by being transferred to the material member.

[0003]

However, the digital copying machine is limited in the electric performance at the reading speed of the fixed element, and the conversion speed is limited when the analog information of the original image is converted into an electric signal. Therefore, the speed limitation has been an obstacle to improving the operating speed of the entire device. In addition, if a large amount of electric signals are to be stored, the memory capacity of the image processing unit must be increased, which increases the space, which is an obstacle to downsizing of the apparatus. In addition, an analog copier obtains an exposure image without converting the analog information of the original image into an electric signal, so there is no restriction on the electrical performance at the reading speed that is found in digital copiers, so a considerably faster operating speed. However, it is impossible to receive an image electric signal from the outside and output an image because the electric signal is not involved in the image formation.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has a plurality of different recording means, at least one of which can record directly on a recording material. In the recording apparatus for recording by the method, the recording apparatus records the image information of the recording material recorded by the first recording unit as a document of the other recording unit, and the first recording unit comprises: A recording means using a digital recording method such as an inkjet recording method or a thermal recording method, and the other recording means is a recording means using an analog recording method such as an electrophotographic recording method,
The first recording unit is provided outside the housing of the other recording unit or in the ADF unit that handles the sheet document of the other recording unit, and the sheet document conveying path of the ADF and the first recording unit. This is a recording apparatus that can be used also as a conveyance path for more discharged recording material. The recording apparatus has a modem capable of communicating with the first recording means, a controller capable of controlling the first recording means, and a controller capable of controlling other recording means. Further, the recording apparatus has a conveyance path for feeding the recording material recorded by the first recording means to the other recording means and using it as the recording material in the other recording means.

[0005]

According to the above-described structure, the digital recording method as the first recording means records on the recording material under the control of the controller. The recording material for which recording has been completed is sent to an ADF section for handling a sheet original, and stopped at a predetermined position on the original platen glass of an analog recording type copying apparatus which is another recording means. Analog information such as the original image of the recording material is sent from an optical system including an illumination lamp, a mirror, etc., and an image is directly formed as an exposure image on the photoconductor, and the image is transferred to the recording material which is a transfer material member. As a result, image formation is performed, and as a result, it is possible to record a plurality of images at high speed. Further, thereafter, the recording material is sent by the ADF and placed at a predetermined position in the ADF, or
It is also possible to easily feed it to the inside of the copying machine and use it as a recording material via a conveyance route that feeds to other recording means.

Further, as is well known, the ink jet system and the thermal recording system which are direct recording systems are relatively simple in structure and small in size, and it is possible to minimize the influence on weight and space. .

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic views showing a recording apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a paper cassette 5 in which a recording paper 6 is mounted is installed in a copying apparatus 1 which is an analog recording apparatus.
There is a paper feeding roller 11 having a substantially half-moon shape above the paper cassette 5, and when the paper feeding roller 11 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the figure by a driving means (not shown), the recording paper 6 is fed. Then, the separation claw 12 separates the sheet into one sheet. The recording paper 6 is
While being guided by the paper guide plates 15 and 16, the registration roller pair 13a and 13b conveys the sheet toward the process cartridge 2 and the conveying belt 23. In the process cartridge 2 which is an analog type recording means, the photosensitive drum 1
8, a developing sleeve 17, and a cleaning blade 19 for the photosensitive drum, and further includes toner (not shown), a stirring mechanism for the toner, and a waste toner container. Also,
A transfer charger 20 is provided at a position facing the photosensitive drum 18. On the other hand, the conveyor belt 23 includes the rollers 21 and 2.
2 is rotatably supported by the roller 23.
Are driven by driving means (not shown). The belt 23 is given an appropriate tension by a tensioner (not shown) of the roller 22.

The fixing device 25 comprises a heat roller 26 having a built-in heater and a pressure roller 27. The nip portion of these two rollers heat-fixes the toner printed on the recording paper 6. The pressure roller 27 is pressed against the heat roller 26 by a spring (not shown). The recording paper 6 is guided from the belt 23 to the fixing device 25 by the pre-fixing guide 24.
The discharge port 28 downstream of the fixing device 25 is provided with the recording paper 6 after fixing.
And the recording paper 6 is a discharge tray 29.
Placed on top.

Below the original platen glass 30 on which the original is placed, an illumination lamp 31, an imaging lens 35, a mirror 32, and
33, 34, and 36 are arranged to form an optical system, and the reflected light 37 from the document can be applied to a predetermined position of the photosensitive drum 18.

AD for handling sheet originals
F4 is provided on the document table 30 so as to be openable and closable, and has paper guide plates 41 and 42 for guiding the document, a transport belt 45 for transporting the sheet document, and rollers 43, 4 for rotating the transport belt.
4, transport rollers 39 and 40 for transporting sheet originals, and a mounting table 38 for placing the sheet originals.

The roller 43 has a driving means (not shown), and the roller 43 is driven by a driving means (not shown).
Further, the conveyor belt 45 is given an appropriate tension by a tensioner (not shown) of the roller 44.

The full-color ink jet printing section 3 which is the first recording means will be described. The small and lightweight ink jet printing unit 3 is fixed to the upper part of the ADF 4, and has a structure in which a head 52 and an ink tank 53 are mounted in a carriage 50. The carriage 50 has two rails 51 and 51a for recording in the figure. It is movably supported in a direction forming a right angle with the conveying direction of the paper strap a, and a predetermined reciprocating operation is possible by a driving means (not shown).

The ink tank 53 includes cyan, magenta,
Ink tanks for a total of four colors of yellow and black are mounted, and the head 52 is divided into four heads corresponding to the above four colors, and printing is performed on the recording paper 6a without contact. The recording paper on the tray 54 on which the recording paper 6a is placed is a sheet feeding roller 55 having a substantially half-moon shape for conveying the recording paper 6a.
The rollers 56 and 57 convey the sheet to the head 52 of the printing unit, and further feed the sheet original to the placing table 38. The roller 56 is provided with a driving means (not shown), and the roller 5
7 is a recording paper 6 to the roller 56 side by a biasing means (not shown).
It is urged with an appropriate value to convey a.

Further, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 46 denotes a manual sheet feeding port, which is used when printing is performed on a recording material such as thick paper or thin paper which is difficult to feed in a cassette, and is used by rollers 47 and 48 for recording material (not shown). ) Is transported. The paper guide plate 60 forms a conveyance path for feeding the recording paper 6 a, which has been recorded by the inkjet printing unit 3, to the manual paper feed port 46, and can be conveyed by the rollers 61 and 62.

The controller 70 controls the image output of the ink jet printing unit 3 and also controls the operation of the copying apparatus 1. The number of copies, the enlargement or reduction of the copied images and their numerical values, and a sorter (not shown). It is possible to control whether or not the recording sheet can be used and whether or not the recording sheet can be used for both front and back side recording functions (not shown). The modems 80 and 80 '(see FIG. 2) communicate with other recording devices provided separately.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which a plurality of devices shown in FIG. 1 are arranged and each is electrically connected to form a so-called network. In FIG. 2, 100 and 100 'are
A computer connected to the controller 70, 70 'and the modem 80, 80'.

The copying machine 1 ', the process cartridge 2', the ink jet printing section 3 ', the ADF 4', the controller 70 'and the modem 80' are respectively the copying machine 1, the process cartridge 2, the ink jet printing section 3 and the ADF 4 shown in FIG. , The controller 70 and the modem 80 have the same functions. The controller 70 'is connected to the inkjet printing 3', receives an external electrical signal such as image data from the computer 100 ', and controls the image output of the inkjet printing unit 3'. Further, the modem 80 and the modem 80 'are electrically connected to each other and can exchange information.

The operation of the first embodiment having the above construction will be described. First, when a print command is issued from the computer 100 via the controller 70, the paper feed roller 55 is driven, one sheet of the recording paper 6a is fed, and the paper is held between the rollers 56 and 57, and the ink jet printing of the first printing means is performed. It is guided to directly below the head 52 in the section 3. After that, the carriage 29 is reciprocally driven at a predetermined timing in a direction perpendicular to the recording paper conveyance direction, and a predetermined ink droplet is ejected from the head 52 to perform recording for one line on the upper surface of the recording paper 6a, which is completed. Then, the rollers 56 and 57 drive the recording paper 6a by intermittent feeding, and the recording paper 6a is moved in the conveying direction by 1
The sheet is conveyed in steps, and further, these operations are repeated, and the recording is sequentially performed, the image is recorded, and the sheet original is fed to the mounting table.

Further, when a plurality of recording media are required, the recording paper 6a on which recording is finished is sent to the carrying rollers 39 and 40 and guided by the paper guide plate 41 while being carried by the carrying belt 4.
It is further driven by 5 to be fed to a predetermined position on the platen glass 30 and stopped. At this time, the recording surface of the recording paper 6a faces the document table glass 30 side.

Next, according to the operation control of the controller 70,
When the paper feed roller 11 of the copying apparatus 1 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the drawing by a drive unit (not shown), the recording paper 6 is fed and separated into one sheet by the separation claw 12. The recording paper 6 is guided by the paper guide plates 15 and 16 and is paired with the registration roller 1.
It is conveyed below the process cartridge 2 by 3a and 13b.

On the other hand, the image information on the recording paper 6a is converted into the reflected light 37 by the illumination lamp 31 below the platen glass 30 through the imaging lens 35 and the mirrors 32, 33, 34 and 36, and inside the process cartridge 2. Photosensitive drum 1
Irradiate a predetermined position of 8. The image formed on the photosensitive drum 18 is developed by the developing sleeve 17 and transferred to the conveyed recording paper 6 by the transfer charger 20. Further, the recording paper 6 is sent to the fixing device 25 through the pre-fixing guide 24 by the drive belt 23 that is rotationally driven by the rollers 21 and 22. Then, the toner printed on the recording paper 6 is thermally fixed by the heat roller 26, and is placed on the discharge tray 29 via the discharge port 28.

Further, even when the above-described operation is repeated to copy a large number of images, an exposure image is obtained without converting the analog information of the original image into an electric signal, so that the reading speed is the same as in the digital copying machine. Since there are no restrictions on electrical performance, a considerably high operating speed is possible. After that, the recording material is sent by the ADF and is passed through the space between the paper guide plates 41 and 42 to be placed on the placing table 38 in the ADF, or the recording paper on which the inkjet printing unit 3 has performed recording. In order to add further image information to 6a, it is also possible to feed it by the rollers 61 and 62 to the manual paper feed port 46 and feed it into the copying machine for use as a recording material.

When the image information generated from the computer 100 is recorded by the ink jet printing unit 3'or a plurality of sheets of the image information is recorded by the copying machine 1 ', the modem 80' is further transferred to the modem 80 'and the controller. 7
This is possible because the recording operation similar to the above is performed by transmitting the electric signals to 0 ', the ink jet printing unit 3'and the copying apparatus 1'. On the contrary, the computer 100 '
When the image information emitted from the printer is recorded by the ink jet printing 3 or when a plurality of sheets is recorded by the copying apparatus 1, the modem 80 ′ is used to the modem 80, and further to the controller 70, the ink jet printing unit 3 and the copying apparatus 1. The recording operation similar to the above can be performed by the transmission of the electric signal.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows the configuration of Embodiment 2. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the first recording means, which is a digital recording system, uses a heat-sensitive recording system. The thermal recording / printing section 3a is fixed to the upper part of the ADF 4, and the head 92 and the ink ribbon 93 are mounted in the carriage 50. It is supported so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of, and a predetermined reciprocating operation is possible by a driving means (not shown). The head 92 can perform printing while sandwiching the recording paper 6a between the head 92 and the platen plate 94 and contacting the recording paper 6a with an appropriate pressing force.
Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the third embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the ink jet recording unit 3 is arranged not on the ADF 4 but on the copying machine side. The inkjet recording unit 3 is fixed to the left end portion of the copying apparatus 1 in the figure, and has a structure in which a head 92 and an ink tank 93 are mounted in a carriage 50. The carriage 50 is illustrated by two rails 51 and 51a. The recording paper 6a is movably supported in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording paper 6a, and can be reciprocated in a predetermined manner by a driving means (not shown).

When the recording paper 6a is being conveyed in the vertical direction, the head 52 prints without contacting the right side surface of the recording paper 6a in the drawing. The recording paper on the tray 54 on which the recording paper 6a is placed is conveyed to the print unit of the head 52 by a half-moon shaped paper feed roller 55, rollers 56 and 57 for conveying the recording paper 6a, and further a sheet original is placed. It is fed to the mounting table 38. The roller 56 includes a driving unit (not shown), and the roller 57 is urged by an urging unit (not shown) at an appropriate value to convey the recording paper 6a to the roller 56 side. Further, the paper guide 58 guides the recording paper 6a when the recording paper 6a is conveyed toward the document table 30. Recording paper 6a
When the sheet is conveyed onto the document table 30, the recording surface of the recording paper 6a faces the document table glass 30 surface side. Other configurations,
Since the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description will be omitted.

(Other Embodiments) Embodiments 1 to 1 described above
In 3, the ink jet recording method or the heat sensitive recording method is used as the first recording means, but other recording methods may be used. Similarly, the first ink jet first recording means is arranged outside the housing or in the ADF portion for handling the sheet original, but a stand or the like for placing at a predetermined position and a predetermined height is provided, and It may be placed on the floor. Similarly, the sheet document transport path of the ADF is of a type in which after the recording material reaches the document platen glass, it returns to the same transport path in the opposite direction, but in the forward direction instead of the reverse direction, and the sheet is transported in the ADF. It may be of a type in which it makes one round return to the rest position. Although an analog copying machine is shown as another recording apparatus, a digital copying machine having an operating speed within a range not departing from the object of the present invention may be used.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, (1) it is possible to receive an image electric signal from the outside and output an image while using an analog type recording device capable of high-speed image recording. is there. (2) It is possible to record a plurality of images at high speed without increasing the memory capacity of the image information processing unit. (3) Since the first recording means uses a direct recording method such as an ink jet method or a heat-sensitive recording method, the structure is relatively simple, small and lightweight, and the influence on weight and space is minimized. be able to. (4) It is also easy to feed the recording material recorded by the first recording means, which is a digital recording apparatus, into the copying apparatus from the manual paper feed port to add another image information and use it as the recording material. . (5) Another recording device having a similar function by having a controller in the recording device for controlling the modem for external communication and the first recording means, and also for controlling the operation of the other recording device. It is also easy to output an image to or receive image information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram in which a plurality of recording devices according to the first embodiment are arranged.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a recording apparatus according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copier 2 Process Cartridge 3 Inkjet Printing Section 3a Thermal Recording Printing Section 4 ADF 6, 6a Recording Paper 30 Original Plate 45 Conveyor Belt 70 Controller 80 Modem 100 Computer

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/29 H04N 1/29 Z // B41J 13/00 B41J 13/00

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An image of a recording material recorded by a first recording means in a recording device having a plurality of different recording means, wherein at least one recording means records directly on a recording material. A recording apparatus, wherein information is recorded as a document of another recording means by the recording means. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first recording means is a recording means using a digital recording system. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the other recording means is a recording means using an analog recording system. 4. A recording means using a digital recording system,
The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein recording is performed directly on the recording material. 5. A recording means using an analog recording system,
The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the recording apparatus is an electrophotographic recording method. 6. A recording means using a digital recording system,
The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recording apparatus is an inkjet recording method. 7. A recording means using a digital recording system,
The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recording apparatus is a thermal recording method. 8. The first recording means is arranged outside the casing of the other recording means.
The recording device described. 9. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first recording means is provided in the ADF section for handling the sheet original of the other recording means. 10. The sheet document conveying path of the ADF for handling the sheet originals of the other recording means and the conveying path of the recording material discharged from the first recording means can be shared. The recording device described. 11. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a modem that enables communication between the first recording means and the outside. 12. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller capable of controlling the first recording means and a controller capable of controlling other recording means. 13. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a conveyance path for feeding the recording material recorded by the first recording means to another recording means.